Jan Leeming - The Official Website

NEW YEAR SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

28th December 2009

NEW YEAR SURPRISE

Can't give you precise details but I am doing a photoshoot for the Daily Mail which should go out on either 1^st or 8^th January.  I hope it is going to be a lot of fun and I'm giving the fee to the 'Orchid' Charity - which funds research into awareness and cure for  three male cancers - Testicular, Penile and Prostate.

Those of you who are regular readers of my Blog. will know that a few years ago my son had Testicular Cancer.  I am eternally grateful to the 'Hollyoaks' Soap because he was watching that (recuperating from a heavy Saturday night) when they dealt with the subject of Testicular Cancer - he did an investigation and found a lump.  He had to have a surgical removal and is just coming up to his final check. 

He did a Sky Dive for Orchid in 2008 and I nominated Orchid as the beneficiary from an edition of 'Celebrity Cash in the Attic' in which I featured.  We also did an article for The Mail highlighting  the work done by Orchid.  It is a small charity without massive overheads and advertising costs and that's why I like to support it apart from the obvious reasons.  Testicular Cancer has one of the highest success rates if it is diagnosed in time and part of the work of Orchid is to make men 'Aware' and to get them to test themselves.  Men do appear to be rather backward in going to their Doctor if the problem is something to do with their genitalia so Orchid hopes to raise awareness and highlight the necessity of early diagnosis.

So on that note may I wish you all a Healthy, Happy and Peaceful New Year.

Fond greetings,  Jan.

Well, it did go out on New Year's Day.  It was a sort of Calendar Girls 'nude' shot.  As a character says in the play - naked involves detail; nude involves suggestion.  I was tastefully covered in blue butterflies.  And ladies I must tell you, the most flattering way to be photographed when you are over a certain age is 'lying down' - all the loose flesh drops away.  There was the usual rash of 'nasty and bitchy'  comments on line including 'how much was it airbrushed?' - if you look at the photo you'll see  all the lines around my neck etc.  If I'd wanted them airbrushed I could have had them done.  However, the makeup artist did a wonderful job on my hair and make-up.  And any of us, in professional hands, will always 'scrub up well'.  Being a full body shot, the face was not the centre of attention and I wasn't shot at close quarters - had I been, then of course you would have seen more lines.

About the only thing I find really hurtful is all the nastiness surrounding my marriages.  The press will never never never let me live down the five marriages.  I'm no saint but I do have a penchant for adventurous and womanising men.  I wish the, predominantly women, who write such nasties would mind their own business.  Of course, I wish I'd not got all those failed marriages but I am no harridan - just married the wrong sort.  Perhaps these 'paragons of virtue' should learn to be less judgmental.  

Moan over.  But I must say, I was very flattered to be asked to do a shot like this - wouldn't any woman?  And the person most important to me - my son - approved and was proud of me.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

RENE MOUCHOTTE

27th December 2009

RENE MOUCHOTTE

Months ago, I wrote to the French Air Attache in London asking for help with my research into the French Pilot and War Hero - Rene Mouchotte.  (I understood that Col. Jean-Claude Piccirillo  spoke excellent English and wrote to him explaining what I wanted and telling him that my French was not fluent enough to correspond in that language.) I received a reply addressed to Monsieur Leeming (well I suppose in Holland Jan is a man's name!) telling me that the letter had been passed on to the Ministry of Defence in Paris.

I have now had a delightful reply - again addressed to Monsieur Leeming and all in French.  Had to get it translated to understand the nuances and basically I've been given the go-ahead to contact several Organisations which would help in my Reseach - AAD - The air force department of the Defence History Service and ECPAD which holds newsreels, propaganda films and photographic accounts.   However, it's the human side of Mouchotte about which I need information.  I know his sister had two sons because, in his diaries,  he refers to his nephews who would be in their 70's today.  I know, from a photo of the Mouchotte Family Vault in Pere La Chaise Cemetery in N.E. Paris, that the tomb is in good order which would suggest that there are still extant members of the family.  I also know that his mother lived in Bergerac during the War.  But I am hampered by my inadequate French.  So, if anyone reading this Blog - and I know there are several people in France who 'tune' in - could help with my research, I would be so grateful. 

(I have always wished to perfect my French and buy numerous books but never seem to get round to attacking them.  I'm not and never have been a good linguist much to my disappointment.  I can get by when I'm in France - but only in the most rudimentary way.)

Even if I can't get a documentary off the ground, I may well be able to write a good article about Rene.  So many people think the Battle of Britain was won entirely by we Brits, but, if you look at the Squadron Badges at the Capel-le- Ferne Memorial, you will see that there were pilots from Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, (even Iraq)  and many other parts of the world and it would be good to Honour them - through Rene Mouchotte -  in 2010 which marks the 70^th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

SO PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

27th December 2009

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

And I don't mean alcohol.  One couldn't help but be infected by the Christmas feeling - one benefit of being in a snowy, icy, London in the run up to the Great Day.  Everywhere you looked there were twinkling lights, Christmas Trees, Carol singing,  and a general feeling of Goodwill despite the Recession.

Being in Theatre at Christmastime is rather magical - we are all children at heart looking forward to our Secret Santa (you pull a name out of a hat and then buy a present to a specified amount of money).  Santa visited us in the Albery Bar between shows - Mince pies and Coffee were on offer.  Actually Santa was Mother Christmas in the shape of Phil  Jupitas resplendent in, what I presume was, one of the costumes from Hairspray in which he is starring.  I received a posh bottle of Cava in a splendid fabric stocking (which I will hang at the end of my bed next year) and a lovely card which has now set me guessing - who did buy the present and write such lovely words?

My son came to the theatre on Christmas Eve and with a great sigh of relief we caught a train home - I say 'relief' as the previous day on trying to buy our tickets, they wouldn't sell me any because so many trains were being cancelled and delayed.  So I checked that Marks and Spencer didn't shut till 7.00 pm and mentally adjusted to the possibility of Christmas Dinner being Smoked Salmon sandwiches and a bottle of something at Jonathan's flat in Ealing.  However the thaw came just in time and most train services were running. .  Ours was a quiet Christmas - just the two of us - but we had time for conversation, good food and drink and indulged in watching 'Happy Feet' and a DVD of K.9 - both of us are mad keen on animals and we love the K.9 and Beethoven type films.

No trains on Boxing Day - well at least not down in my neck of the woods - so it was a drive in to London for two shows.  However, the joy of walking to the Car Park (and not the train station)  after the show and travelling home in the warmth and comfort of my car - not to mention the pleasure of listening to Classic FM on the journey instead of mobile phones, loud conversations peppered with expletives and loutish behaviour - made up for any inconvenience.

OH - JUST A LITTLE REMINDER.    ON 28TH DECEMBER ON BBC 2 AT 9.00 PM THERE IS A RETROSPECTIVE ON THE SUPER PROGRAMME 'NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS' AND YOURS TRULY WILL BE FEATURING IN IT.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS CAROLS

21st December 2009

WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS CAROLS

Struggling to work on Friday - along with countless thousands - and alighting at Charing Cross, I was assailed by the most heavenly sound - a smallish group of Carol Singers.  I've no idea for whom they were collecting, just put my money in the bucket.  There were about 15 of them singing like Angels and really using the acoustics of the Station. Sadly the station announcements don't - use the acoustics properly - and one gets an over amplified and very often garbled announcement.  BUT those carols were gorgeous and made me feel very Christmassy as well as raising my spirits enormously.

One of the few benefits of living in a Cold Climate (I am a sun worshipper by nature) is the lovely Christmassy feeling you get from the twinkling lights, the Christmas Trees and the Carols.  I listen to Classic FM all the time and there have been some fabulous carols over the last few weeks - John Rutter and Karl Jenkins offerings just to mention a couple - don't often buy CD's but simply had to get a copy of Stella Natalis by Karl Jenkins - it's smashing.

This is necessarily short.  I must have touched my cat in a sensitive place and he bit me last night - Totally my fault - but unfortunately my hand has blown up like a balloon and is incredibly painful. (My cat is one of the most loving creatures you could ever hope to meet and has loads of human friends in the neighbourhood who all love him for his gentleness)  My lovely Doctor agreed to see me at short notice and has given me very strong antibiotics.  Had to walk there as the roads were so treacherous - mind you the pavements were almost worse and I ended up walking in the middle of the road thinking of my Darling Mother who, when she first went to work at the age of 14, was advised by her Mother to walk in the middle of the road as it was safer - that was, of course before there were millions of cars and one probably could walk in the middle of the roads.

So sorry for short-changing you - and leaving undone a million pre-Christmas preparations!  I'm going to have to chill out with hand held high and watch some television.

I've a couple of interesting projects for the New Year but at the moment can't tell you about them.

HAVE A PEACEFUL AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

With fondest wishes to you all - I do love seeing that my Blog is read in the most far-away places.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

CELEBRITY EGGHEADS

15th December 2009

Just a little reminder that Celebrity Eggheads goes out on the 16th December at 6.00 pm on BBC 2.

It was an experience though I was feeling absolutely lousy - having only just come out of hospital after a small operation - so if I'm looking and sounding below par, you'll know why.

 Members of the team were Rosie Boycott, Jenny Bond, Sue McGregor, Angela Rippon and Me - and I'm not telling you the result.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

RENE MOUCHOTTE

15th December 2009

For those of you who may read my Blog regularly, you will know of my interest in the French World War 2 pilot - Rene Mouchotte.

I would dearly love to get a documentary made about his life.  Not only do we know so much about him because of his diaries but I think a vast number of people have no idea of the sacrifice made during the War by foreign nationals.  Britain didn't win the war on it's own you know.

It was suggested that I wrote to the French Air Attache in London which I duly did and received a reply addressed to Monsieur Leeming (I know Jan is a man's name in Holland but didn't think to put my gender on the letter.)  My communication was passed on to someone in Paris and today I received a reply - written in French.  My French is not good enough to be able to effect a translation so I'll have to send it to friends in France.

However, I did understand enough of the reply to realise that my enquiries have not been addressed.  I know Rene was not married but he did have two nephews who now would be in their 70's.  I know the Family Vault in Pere La Chaise is well kept - which suggests that it is being cared for.

I also know that I have some readers in France.  If you could possibly help, I would be so grateful.  There are streets named after Rene and a small Airfield.  His Mother lived in Bergerac during the war.  I so much want to find out if he still has living relatives - it would aid my research and make it that much more feasible to present the story of Rene for consideration as a Documentary.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

The 'F' Word

14th December 2009

THE 'F' WORD

I had a very interesting experience on the train the other night.  I only had to go one station from Charing X to Waterloo East so was standing.  A  relatively well dressed young man - who I think had had a few too many beveridges - was hurrying people up and in to the train and constantly used the 'F' word.  At one stage he looked at me and apologised.  I suppose I should have kept my lip buttoned but there's been so much of it and I do find it offensive.  So I said he didn't need to apologize but that our language is one of the richest in the world and it grieved me to hear an obviously well educated young man using the 'F' word so frequently when he could have used so many other illustrative words.  He, like so many, was using 'F'  as an adjective.  ( My own son uses the word far too frequently.  We have a pact at the moment - if I read 'Feel the Fear and do it Anyway' he will cut down on his use of the 'F'word.  I'm keeping to my end of the bargain.)  The young man on the train and I  had quite an interesting chat for a few minutes in which he asked me why I found the word offensive and, apart from anything else, I told him that I objected to it being used as an adjective when our language offers so many other words - it actually shows a lack of verbal acuity.  When I got off, he fell into step next to me and chatted quite amicably - I think it was his way of apologising.

I'm not a prude and when pushed, I too have used the word but in its pejorative sense. 

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

VANDALISM AND PARKING IN CANTERBURY

14th December 2009

If you have to park in Canterbury I'd strongly advise you to park in the Castle Street Car Park.  It's a bit of a walk from the Centre but not that much.  Why do I suggest this?  The parking spaces are very generous - the venue is very well lit - the price is half that of the Multi Storey - and in all the years I've parked there, my car has been safe.  I understand it is a Council Car Park.

The Multi Storey - where my car was keyed a few weeks ago - is owned by Euro Parks.  I did write to them and, as to be expected, just got a curt reply telling me they take no responsibility for the cars in their care.  Naturally they have a disclaimer BUT surely they do have a duty of reasonable care to the cars parked in their Car Park. I don't think they have CCTV - if they do it is not very effective.  They only have to maintain the Park and pay for a few folk who tell you on which floor to park and another couple who man the 'office' I can't understand why this highly profit making Car Park has been handed over to a Money Making Concern - they must be making money hand over fist and it would be nice to think the big fat profits were being raked in by the Council to be used on other facilities in the City.  

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

GRUBBY LONDON

14th December 2009

GRUBBY LONDON

Heaven alone knows what visitors - particularly those from Scandinavian countries - must think of our Grubby Capital City.  On my recent Baltic Cruise (working) my son and I visited most of the Scandinavian Capitals and were so impressed with the cleanliness of their cities.  On my short walk from Charing Cross up St. Martin's Lane to the Noel Coward Theatre, I am disgusted at the state of our streets.  Chewing Gum is dotted all over the pavements - mind you it doesn't help that so many manufacturers now sell the stuff in little boxes where they rattle around loose - so there isn't even a paper in which to wrap the residue even if one were so inclined.

I've just read a letter in 'The Week' - an excellent periodical which looks at world events from every angle - left, right and in the middle.  The letter was from Robin Hanbury-Tenison (a delightful man whom I once interviewed and who, in turn, once rescued me from very personal and unnecessary questioning in an interview with the Irish Gay Byrne).  In his letter he wrote about   Chewing Gum.  Apparently until after the Second World War chewing gum was made from chicle, the gum of the chicozapote tree.  The gum is biodegradable, can be swallowed and if 'spat out' eventually turns to powder.  Synthetic gum which 'adorns' our pavements was invented in the 1950's.

Fortunately the 'chicleros' - who harvested the gum are finally fighting back and a consortium of 2,000 of them in Mexico are marketing chicle in Europe.  Waitrose stocks it and it is being distributed to all Universities in Britain.  So, if you must chew gum, how about a stick of chicle - you'll be helping to save the rainforest and its indigenous inhabitants (descendants of the Maya) and keep our pavements clean.  Sounds GOOD to me.

Do our 'Rulers' have one iota of common sense between them all.  I loathe smoking and always have so I've avoided pubs and clubs all my life.  That's fine - my choice is not to go to those smoked filled dens but if others want to - great - that's their choice.  Now, whether we non-smokers like it or not we have to walk through Arches of smoke around the doorways of public buildings and pubs where the smokers congregate for their 'fix'.  One of the worst through which I had to forge a path was the Side door to Moorfields Eye Hospital - it was like wading through thick and smelly fog and the noxious fumes lingered for many feet afterwards as I progressed into the building.  

Not only do you have to walk in the road to get around the masses standing on the pavements smoking but the sight of the 'butts' littered all over the pavements is positively disgusting.  Of course our 'Rulers' didn't think that far did they.  No, they live in their little ivory towers and their pads far away from the common herd - of which I count myself one.  And you can't totally blame the smokers because very little is provided by way of somewhere in which to dispose of their butts.

So many rules and regulations are passed as the result of minority 'pressure groups' and the end result is never debated.  When the smokers had their designated rooms in pubs, clubs and restaurants, that was far preferable to turning them in to pariahs who have to hang about on streets polluting everything in sight.  I actually feel sorry for them and for the rest of us who have to look at the discarded remnants on the pavement the next day.  But of course, government would never ban smoking - they get too much income from the Trade.  Sir Walter Raleigh has a lot to answer for.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

APOLOGIES

8th December 2009

I apologize for short-changing you with the Blog this week.

The travelling is really wearing me out and trying to catch up with chores and correspondence is a losing battle.

I was only told at the last minute about the Retrospectives on 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here'  - the programmes are transmitted over three days and I've no idea whether they will just use my contributions in one programme or spread them across all three so sorry for not being able to give you advance warning.  They are going out on ITV 2 on the 9th,10th and 11th December.

But I can give you notice of Celebrity Eggheads in which I was part of a Newsreaders' Team.  That transmits on 16th December BBC 2  - 6.00 pm

Still greatly enjoying Calendar Girls - as are the audiences.  Sadly our lovely Debbie Chazen left the cast on Saturday.  She was brilliant in the part of Ruth and I watched her every single night - she made me laugh so much it was better than a tonic.

I could tell you more about the appalling travel on South Eastern Trains but it will only depress me - the behaviour, of a substantial section of the public, beggars belief - from feet on seats to loud mobile phone conversations and Ipods playing so loudly that other passengers can hear also whether they want to or not.  And as for sobriety!  As one guard said - he is dreading the three weeks up till Christmas and so am I.

Bye for now - got to get a train.  Jan

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.

CALENDAR GIRLS - AMERICA

1st December 2009

CALENDAR GIRLS in AMERICA

Julie Goodyear has finally pulled out of the show on the grounds of ill health.  She performed in the first week and has been absent for the following two.  Such a shame as she was very good in the part of Cora.  However we now have the lovely Hannah Waterman in the role and she's  also very good.  Perhaps now the show can settle down and the poor principles won't have to keep being called in for more rehearsals.

The audiences have been absolutely great but this last Saturday was simply Fantastic and we learned that our lovely Director Hamish McColl and also our great producer David Pugh popped in to see the show.  I'm so glad they did.  Both the Matinee and Evening Audiences went absolutely wild and their laughter and applause added between 5 and 7 minutes to the running time - so absolutely no chance of catching the last train to my Home Station but an hour hanging around at Charing Cross.  If you can get a seat, those metal seats are very cold on one's behind.  I think I'll have to start wearing thermals.  That's the problem, you board a train and the heat generated by the passengers approximates to being in a sauna - and by the end of the journey you feel as though you are in an ice box!

It's such a tonic to be in a show which generates so much of the 'feel good factor' and laughter.  Every performance I watch from the wings especially the 'Nude' scene which is so funny.  Our lovely Debbie Chazen - who is fabulous as Ruth - is sadly leaving the cast on December 5^th so I shall be watching every performance this week to imprint it on my subconscious.  The audience absolutely adore her.

David Pugh let slip that apparently there is now some interest in America with regard to taking the play over there.  Wow! That would be really exciting - I'd love to be involved so we'll just have to a wait and see.

Still loving being part - albeit a small part - of the show but the train journey is dreadful and the behaviour by drunken lads and ladettes is absolutely beyond belief.  I'd read about the behaviour of ladettes and had not believed that they could be worse than the men - Believe me they are.

What do you think? Send your feedback to contact@jan-leeming.com.